Microsoft released Windows Vista Beta 1 July 27, 2005. At the time, this was Microsoft's latest edition to the Windows familiy of operating systems, and it was supposed to usher in a newer, sleeker and easier use of the x86 and x64 platforms. It was built on the stability of 2000, and XP, and had sleeker menus and a built in search feature. This started the Vista Boom. Today, you can't step into an electronics store and buy a computer without Vista.
Matt Golding